Language and word choice shapes the public’s understanding of complex social issues. Increased media attention and discussion about human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation can shed light on these epidemics and bring about change, but only through the use of language that empowers victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation rather than degrading them. Beginning in the 1980s, activists combating human trafficking have replaced slurs like “whore” and “hooker” with the less incendiary term “sex worker.” Despite the sudden popularity of this term, activists must take a step back and examine the phrase by asking several questions: Who is a sex worker? Who created this phrase? And—perhaps most importantly—does the phrase “sex worker” promote the safety of trafficking victims or, like so many other terms, does it degrade them and further their exploitation?
Who is a sex worker? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a “sex worker” is “a person who is paid or employed to provide sexual services…Typically used to avoid or reduce negative connotations and to evoke affinity with conventional service industries.” The inclusion of “sex worker” in the Oxford English Dictionary legitimizes this phrase and the trauma that many experience. Purely colloquial phrases often fade out of common usage; however, once a term has been immortalized in the dictionary, it becomes incredibly difficult to combat any negative effects of its use. While the dictionary definition of “sex worker” initially appears empowering and stigma-reducing, the true power behind the phrase may not be so benign.
Coined by the “workers” themselves, this term has the potential to empower. According to the Urban Justice Center, the phrase “sex worker” empowers by humanizing those being exploited and returning some of their autonomy. While much of the discourse surrounding commercial sexual exploitation focuses on exploited women and children, proponents of the phrase “sex worker” contend that it is both destigmatizing and inclusive. It encompasses the different identities and experiences of people facing commercial sexual exploitation, including those of male, transgender, and non-binary “workers.” Even the type of exchange or “erotic labor” varies—some people meet buyers in person and engage in sexual intercourse with them, while others act in pornographic films, run pornographic web shows, or engage in other types of sexual activity in exchange for money. The inclusiveness of the term allows victims of commercial sexual exploitation to share their stories in an environment that does not segregate them on the basis of gender or experiences.
While the term “sex worker” seemingly grants autonomy and power to the exploited person, it also contributes to the erasure of a nearly-invisible demographic by reframing victims as “workers.” Referring to commercial sexual exploitation as “work” and the people who provide services as “workers” legitimizes the idea of exchanging money for sex, even under conditions of exploitation and abuse. The phrase “sex worker” aligns persons providing sexual services in exchange for money with employees in publicly-accepted service industries. The inclusiveness of the phrase “sex worker” obfuscates a very real issue—many of the so-called “workers” are minors and cannot consent to any commercial sexual activity. The process of legitimization spurred by phrases such as “sex worker” and the “sex industry” not only legitimizes the “workers,” but also the “employers” and “customers”—the very people who drive the exploitation and abuse of these victims.
Language is power. When using phrases like “sex worker” to discuss exploited populations, one must understand the power of the word and its effects. While the phrase “sex worker” may be empowering in its inclusiveness, it can also lead to the erasure and continued exploitation of victims of trafficking.
Jessica DiBacco is currently a first-year law student at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Jessica is from Norfolk, Massachusetts and received a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling and Health Psychology from Emmanuel College. After graduation, Jessica hopes to become a prosecutor or do advocacy work.
